Discover how football can help your church connect

The Norfolk Christian Football League is offering churches across the county the opportunity to connect with more young people and adults through the beautiful game.

The league, which has over 300 children aged between 8 and 16 and around 150 adults playing regular Saturday morning football throughout the season, is holding a discovery evening in Norwich during January, when churches can find out about the various ways in which they can become involved.

League secretary, Alan Barnes, explained: “There are various ways in which churches can get involved. You may have some children, or adults, in your church who would like to play regular football on Saturday rather than Sunday mornings. You can either form a new team or join with another church or an existing team. Or you may have a youth club which would benefit from forming a team as part of its activities.

“Not all teams or players in the league are directly connected with a local church, but they are all supported by one as part of the strong Christian ethos of the league. So we are often looking for churches and other Christian organisations who would be prepared to support a team and develop the opportunities that will arise,” said Alan.

One such church is Brooke parish church where Rev Lynn Bennett is priest-in-charge. It supports Brooke Adventurers Football Club, which is part of the Christian league.

"Working with the Adventurers helps me to meet young people and their families I would never come across otherwise,” said Lynn. “When they meet me in church, perhaps for a funeral or civic occasion, we already know each other and so they feel much more comfortable. It's a privilege to lead prayers before matches and to help our young folks remember that God is interested in everything we do."

The league is also always on the lookout for more Christian support and skills to help in running it.

If you would like to find out more, then you are invited to attend an informal Discovery Evening at Norwich Central Baptist Church on Wednesday, January 17 from 7.30pm, where you can talk to church leaders who already have an involvement as well as ask questions.